Electronic devices with edge illuminators
An electronic device such as a wrist band may include a strip of fabric that wraps around a longitudinal axis. A one-dimensional array of light sources may be embedded in the strip of fabric and may emit light parallel to the longitudinal axis to produce edge illumination along an edge of the strip of fabric. Optical structures such as light-diffusing strands, light-diffusing polymer structures, and/or light guides may be located between the light sources and the edge of the strip of fabric to help diffuse light and/or guide light to the edge of the strip of fabric. Light-reflecting layers may be formed on inner surfaces of the fabric. Control circuitry may control the light sources to produce the edge illumination in response to an event occurring on an external electronic device such as a notification on an external display.
1. A fabric band, comprising:
first and second fabric portions arranged in a strip having first and second edges that extend along a length of the strip;
an array of light sources interposed between the first and second fabric portions, wherein the array of light sources is configured to emit light towards the first and second edges; and
light-diffusing structures that diffuse the light before the light exits the fabric band through the first and second edges.
2. The fabric band defined in claim 1 wherein the light sources comprise light-emitting diodes.
3. The fabric band defined in claim 1 wherein the strip extends around a longitudinal axis and wherein the array of light sources emits the light parallel to the longitudinal axis.
4. The fabric band defined in claim 1 further comprising a light-reflecting layer on an inner surface of the first fabric portion.
5. The fabric band defined in claim 1 wherein the light-diffusing structures comprise strands of material.
6. The fabric band defined in claim 1 wherein the light that is emitted towards the first edge forms a first edge illuminator extending along the length of the strip and the light that is emitted towards the second edge forms a second edge illuminator extending along the length of the strip.
7. The fabric band defined in claim 1 further comprising control circuitry that controls the light sources based on an event occurring on an external electronic device.
8. The fabric band defined in claim 7 wherein the control circuitry controls the light sources based on an importance of the event and based on a context of the fabric band.
9. The fabric band defined in claim 1 wherein the light sources are individually addressable.
10. The fabric band defined in claim 1 wherein the array of light sources comprises a one-dimensional array of light sources.
11. A wrist band, comprising:
fabric that wraps around a longitudinal axis;
light sources embedded in the fabric that emit light parallel to the longitudinal axis to form edge illumination that extends continuously along an edge of the wrist band; and
control circuitry that controls the edge illumination based on an event on an external electronic device.
12. The wrist band defined in claim 11 wherein the fabric comprises a side pocket facing the edge and wherein at least one of the light sources is located in the side pocket.
13. The wrist band defined in claim 12 wherein the fabric comprises strands of material that diffuse the light at the edge of the wrist band.
14. The wrist band defined in claim 13 wherein the light sources comprise a one-dimensional array of light-emitting diodes.
15. The wrist band defined in claim 14 further comprising:
a light-reflecting layer that overlaps the one-dimensional array of light-emitting diodes.
16. An electronic device, comprising:
first and second strips of fabric;
a one-dimensional array of light sources interposed between the first and second strips of fabric that produces edge illumination along an edge extending between the first and second strips of fabric; and
a diffuser configured to blend the edge illumination from the one-dimensional array of light sources so that the edge illumination is continuous along the edge.
17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the edge illumination comprises different colors of light.
18. The electronic device defined in claim 17 wherein the edge illumination is associated with a notification received on an external electronic device.
19. The electronic device defined in claim 18 wherein the notification is associated with a given set of colors and wherein the different colors of light in the edge illumination includes the given set of colors.
20. The electronic device defined in claim 19 further comprising a haptic output device configured to provide haptic output while the one-dimensional array of light sources produces the edge illumination.